ZACCHAEUS (Luke 19:1-10)
ZACCHAEUS
Luke 19:1-10
The essence of the story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) is revealed when we read it with a focus on his decision (v. 8) and his declaration of salvation (vv. 9-10). This is the order of salvation. The reason why the story of Zacchaeus gives us hope is because he represents a prototype of a lost person. When we read the story of Zacchaeus, we see Jesus, who leaps over the law, which is symbolized by the murmurs of the people, and this gives us hope. The beauty of the story of Zacchaeus is in the rhythm of Jesus coming to seek me out, binding my heart to him, and starting anew.
Zacchaeus the Publican
Zacchaeus was a tax collector and chief among the tax collectors in the region of Jericho. At that time, tax collectors had a bad reputation because of their involvement with money matters. Firstly, The reason for this was because Israel was a colony of Rome and all taxes belonged to the Roman national treasury. As a result, the people of Israel felt the pain of losing their sovereignty. We can read an ironic expression of their resentment towards Rome in Luke 20, where the scribes and Pharisees test Jesus, asking, "Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" (Luke 20:22). Although they probably asked this question to trap Jesus, we can glimpse their inner feelings from the question.
Secondly, during Jesus' time, it was common for publicans to charge a little extra when assessing taxes. Zacchaeus also spoke out against this corrupt tax collection. "If I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount" (Luke 19:8). Publicans not only worked for Rome but also collected blood money from their own people, so their reputation was not good. People despised publicans and treated them as subhuman. This is similar to the experience of the members of the Iljin-hoe during the Japanese occupation of Korea, who were seen as traitors and treated as less than human. Zacchaeus received similar treatment.
Zacchaeus the Sinner
People treated Zacchaeus as a sinner. When Jesus went to his house, people criticized him for eating and drinking with sinners. "All the people saw this and began to mutter, 'He has gone to be the guest of a sinner'" (v. 7). In Jesus' time, prostitutes and tax collectors were considered sinners. According to the law that people valued more than their own lives, Jesus visiting Zacchaeus' house, eating and staying there would be breaking the law.
One day, when Jesus was invited to a Pharisee's house, a woman who was treated as a sinner in the town poured expensive perfume on Jesus' feet. The Pharisee, who had been watching this scene, also believed in the principle of "no fellowship with sinners." People not only disliked Zacchaeus for accumulating wealth by using his position with Roman authorities, but also treated him as if he were not human. Moreover, according to the law, they religiously classified Zacchaeus as a sinner. Yet, Jesus approaches Zacchaeus, saying, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today" (v. 5).
The repentant tax collector who wants to start over from scratch
When Jesus visited the house of Zacchaeus, a tax collector, he made a stunning declaration: "I will give half of my possessions to the poor" (v. 8). This kind of statement could only come from someone who was truly repentant and ready to make a fresh start. Zacchaeus goes on to say, "And if I have cheated anyone, I will pay back four times the amount" (v. 8). This means that he would pay back not only what he had taken from people in excess of what he owed, but also an additional three times that amount as restitution for his wrongdoing.
In reality, if Zacchaeus were to follow through with his declaration, he would no longer be a wealthy man. He could become poor overnight. For example, let's say the tax rate is 100 dollars. Zacchaeus has paid 130 dollars, keeping 30 dollars for himself. Now, he would have to pay back 120 dollars, which is four times the amount he cheated. On top of that, he has promised to give half of his possessions to the poor. This could leave him with nothing left to hold onto.
Zacchaeus' declaration is a powerful testimony to the transformative power of encountering Jesus. It shows that no matter how much wealth and power we may have accumulated, true repentance and a desire to make things right can lead us to make radical changes in our lives.
We should take seriously the meaning behind the declaration of Zacchaeus. What did Zacchaeus want to say to Jesus? In his declaration, Zacchaeus included repentance and resolution to start over from the beginning. Zacchaeus' statement of giving half of his wealth to the poor and repaying four times the amount he cheated is his confession of faith and repentance as someone who has met Jesus. It is a confession of faith that he will put his hope in Jesus from now on.
Jesus did not accidentally go to Zacchaeus, but intentionally sought him out. Jesus purposely overcame the obstacle that people had put in the way, called the law. So why did Jesus go to Zacchaeus? The answer to this question is in verses 9-10:
"Today salvation has come to this house because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
Rereading the story of Zacchaeus and the reality of the salvation experience
Let's re-read the story of Zacchaeus and think about what his experience of salvation might have been. The Bible doesn't explain why Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus so badly, it's just something that he and Jesus knew. All we know is the Zacchaeus before and after meeting Jesus. But we can guess what salvation might have meant to Zacchaeus by looking at his actions. He was called a sinner and rejected by society, but when Jesus told him that he was a child of Abraham, Zacchaeus probably felt truly saved. He didn't become a child of Abraham because he promised to give away half of his wealth; rather, it was his encounter with Jesus that showed him what salvation really meant.
When Jesus entered Zacchaeus' home, he already knew what salvation was. It wasn't about giving away his wealth; it was about being recognized as a child of God, despite what society thought of him.